Benjamin Godard: here’s one to rediscover! The Franck set, then the impressionists and then all those who came along afterwards have thoroughly pickled him. It is quite undeserved! He was part of a trend that did not stay the course, yet it left us a few gems, including a certain romantic tradition inherited from his teacher Reber, who in turn received it from Mendelssohn and Schumann.

And let us allow these composers (Reber, Onslow, Gouvy and a few others) the merit of keeping alight the instrumental ‘flame’ at a time when this was much neglected.

Godard wrote three quartets, full of diverse, original ideas, that bring out the Quatuor Élysée’s qualities. The Quartet, celebrating its twentieth anniversary, has always sought to bring together the Russian and French schools, and Timpani featured them in its complete Magnard recording.

Let us hail the merit of these instrumentalists who, roaming far from the beaten track, provide us with a such a great world premiere recording!